How Universal Turned Shadows Into Stars: The Birth of Modern Horror
On Halloween Day, Meaghan and Shirin celebrate the end of October with a love letter to the Universal Monsters—and the filmmaking moves that made them immortal.We trace the real beginnings of Universal horror (hint: Jekyll & Hyde was on screen long before Bela Lugosi’s Dracula), peek at the bootleg chaos of Nosferatu, and geek out over Lon Chaney’s groundbreaking makeup that hard-coded the “look” of classic monsters—Phantom’s skull-mask, Frankenstein’s square brow, caped Dracula, and the bandaged Invisible Man.Beyond trivia, we dig into why these creatures endure: unchecked power (The Invisible Man), inner conflict (Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde), the tragedy of creation (Frankenstein), and the tug-of-war between terror and seduction (is your vampire a monster…or a crush?). We talk modern riffs—from sympathetic monsters to today’s reboots—and why Universal’s IP keeps shapeshifting across eras without losing its bite.If you love Halloween, classic cinema, or just believe monsters say more about us than about them, this one’s for you.
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32:23
We Rewatched IT Before “Welcome to Derry” — Why Pennywise Still Terrifies (and Breaks) Us
If you’ve ever wondered why It (2017/2019) still crawls under our skin, this episode is your sewer-level deep dive. We revisit Chapters 1 & 2 and talk about how Stephen King’s coming-of-age terror works on two timelines—childhood and adulthood—to explore memory, guilt, friendship, and the way a town learns to look away. We break down:Pennywise as a mirror for human cruelty—and why Bill Skarsgård’s performance vaulted into horror’s pantheon.Beverly’s story of survival; Richie & Eddie’s dynamic; Mike’s under-sung backbone; and Henry Bowers’ terrifying escalation.The casting magic: kids and adult counterparts who feel like the same people decades apart.The scenes that still devastate (hello, funhouse mirrors and “you’ll float too”).Why It is one of the most effective King adaptations—and how It: Welcome to Derry extends the mythos.With horror thriving at the box office and prestige circles, this rewatch lands right as It: Welcome to Derry (a 1962-set prequel on HBO/Max) premieres, promising more of Pennywise’s origins. We connect those dots and share what modern horror trends say about It’s staying power.
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45:34
Folk Horror Explained: Rituals, Outsiders & Slow-Burn Dread (+ Best Books & Movies)
What makes folk horror so unsettling? This episode maps the weird woods: isolated settings, old customs that refuse to die, and the outsider who realizes too late they can’t leave. Shereen arrives a skeptic; Meaghan leads the tour—through forests, farmlands, and edge-of-the-map towns where tradition presses against modern life.We unpack how setting becomes a character, why slow dread beats jump scares, and how folk horror pits the past against the present. We also explore how the subgenre is evolving—think eco-anxieties and even tech-resistant towns—and share a stack of must-reads and must-watches that capture the vibe: Brom’s Slewfoot, Stephen Graham Jones’s The Only Good Indians, A.M. Shine’s The Watchers, plus The Wicker Man and The Village. If you’ve ever walked into a place that felt “off” for reasons you couldn’t name, this one’s for you.
Subscribe on your favorite platform!SpotifyApple PodcastAmazon MusiciHeart RadioPodchaserYoutubeDon't forget to follow us on socials too!InstagramThreadsTikTokBlueSkyFacebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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26:19
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26:19
YA Horror Is Booming: Dark Academia, Slashers & Haunted Houses (Must-Read Recs)
YA horror isn’t just training-wheels terror — it’s where coming-of-age meets fear, identity, and community. In this episode, Megan and Shirin dig into why teen horror stays perpetually popular: it’s plot-forward, nostalgia-charged, and perfectly tuned to the search for self. We trace subgenres (slashers, hauntings, dark academia), talk inclusive casts and queer themes that live on the page without fanfare, and call out the steady stream of adaptations bringing YA scares to screens. Plus: nightstand reads, Montreal-set chills, and a quick tour of recent faves to start your TBR.
Subscribe on your favorite platform!SpotifyApple PodcastAmazon MusiciHeart RadioPodchaserYoutubeDon't forget to follow us on socials too!InstagramThreadsTikTokBlueSkyFacebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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The 10 Best Horror Adaptations of 2015–2025 (Hill House, Doctor Sleep, Usher, Dracula & More)
Horror fans, assemble. In this episode, we dive into the last decade’s most effective page-to-screen chills and why adaptations are thriving right now. We talk TV’s “Flanaverse” and how The Haunting of Hill House set a new bar for character-first terror; the surprising heart (and heartbreak) in Doctor Sleep as King’s universe expands; how AMC’s Interview with the Vampire modernizes Rice without losing the bite; why The Invisible Man works as a tech-tinged, trauma-aware update; the pure slasher fun of Fear Street; the Poe-soaked spectacle of The Fall of the House of Usher; BBC’s Dracula and a terrifying Claes Bang performance; and more—plus honorable mentions like Gerald’s Game and the 2024 gothic revival of Nosferatu.We also chat about why modern audiences (hi, millennials) keep fueling bigger horror budgets and better fidelity to source material.If you love books, films, and the delicious space where they meet, this one’s for you.
Subscribe on your favorite platform!SpotifyApple PodcastAmazon MusiciHeart RadioPodchaserYoutubeDon't forget to follow us on socials too!InstagramThreadsTikTokBlueSkyFacebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
A Podcast for Casual Bookworms Everywhere. Every week, join co hosts Meaghan & Shirin as they share their thoughts & opinions about books and their adaptations-the good, the bad & the crappy of it all. Do they have any expertise? No. Are they going to tackle all that the literary world has to offer anyway? You bet. New episodes drop every Friday.
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